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Abstract
Soccer referees represent a specialized population who are required to perform decisional or perceptual tasks during physical exertion. Recent studies have demonstrated that submaximal acute exercise has a positive impact on cognitive performance. However, less is known about the impact of more strenuous exertion on cognitive performance. This study assessed the effect of moderate and maximal intensity exercise exertion on a cognitive performance in sub-elite soccer referees. Twelve experienced soccer referees (4 female, 8 male) were recruited. Data were collected on 2 separate days. Baseline fitness level was assessed by a standardized aerobic capacity test (VO2max Test) on Day 1, along with practice trials of the Stroop Color Word Test (Stroop Test) for evaluating cognitive performance. On Day 2, cognitive performance was assessed before, during, and after an incremental intensity exercise protocol based on the Fédération International de Football Association (FIFA) referee fitness test. Relative to results obtained at rest performance on the Stroop Test improved at moderate exertion and at maximal exertion during the modified FIFA fitness test (F = 18.97, p = .005). Mean time to completion (in seconds) of the interference Stroop task significantly improved (p < .05) between rest and moderate exertion [-3.0 ± 3.0 seconds] and between rest and maximal exertion [-4.8 ± 2.6 seconds]. In summary, we observed that cognitive performance was found to improve when sub-elite soccer referees performed moderate and maximal exercise relative to results obtained at rest. It is possible that referees focus their attention to improve goal-oriented processing in the brain during physical exertion.
Key words: Cognition, Soccer, Attention, Physical Exertion, Stroop Test
Introduction
Soccer referees are required to continuously perform perceptual-cognitive and decisional tasks under physical exertion throughout the 90-minute game. They impartially shiftfrom managing to applying the rules in a game (Raab et al., 2020) by making split-second decisions under considerable pressure (Samuel et al., 2020). International soccer referees reportedly make about 137 observable decisions during a single soccer game (Helsen and Bultynck, 2004). An observable decision is when a referee, with or without the support of the assistant-referee, signals or whistles an onfield decision, identifying a foul, an offside, or the direction of a throw-in. However, referee decision making extends beyond making calls consistent with the rules of the game.